Sweden To Press Moldova Over Visas For Romanians

BUCHAREST -- Swedish Ambassador to Romania Mats Aberg has said in Bucharest that as head of the European Union this year, Sweden will do everything it can to get Moldova to abolish visa requirements for Romanians, RFE/RL's Moldova Service reports.

Aberg calls the visas "an anomaly," saying that no other non-EU country demands visas from just one EU member, in this case Romania.

Sweden took over the rotating EU Presidency from the Czech Republic on July 1.

Moldova's Communist government introduced the visa regime for Romanians in April after accusing its EU neighbor of fomenting unrest in Chisinau after the contested parliamentary elections of April 5.

Moldova and Romania share a common language and most of what is currently Moldova was part of Romania until World War II.